The 12 Days of Christmas
by OthersidersLuv101
Summary: What will all of the unique gifts Riley gives KC mean?
1. A Tree?

**Extremely short...this is just a preview is what I'm going to start publishing on the 14th aka the second day of Christmas...but for now, this is just a preview...I will be working on a Thanksgiving Special and another holiday special...and I might co-write a story...but I'm sitll thinking about that lol. But for now enjoy! =]**

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A tree. That is exactly what stood on KC's front porch. It wasn't a real tree of course, but a fake one, a stuffed bird attached to the top. KC nearly ran into it as she made a break through the front door.

"What the-?" KC asked herself, squatting down to examine the plant. Her hand found a piece of paper attached to one of the bottom branches. She fiddled with the flimsy string until it came loose and she was able to pull it away from the green plastic.

_Only twelve more days._

_-Riley_

KC questioned the short and floating meaning. She questioned everything; tests, school dance, birthdays? She suddenly realized the date. It was December 13th, 12 days before Christmas. But why would she receive such a random present from Riley. She shrugged her shoulders, picked the plant up, and walked through the open front door.


	2. Another One

**Okay, i just couldn't resist, I'M WEAK! I typed this up the same night I did the first day and well it's been calling to me to publish and fellow Fanfiction writer ILuvOthersiders said that I should...so here it is :D I hope you enjoy it! Btw, I will officially begin publishing a new chapter once a day starting December 15th untill Christmas Day =] So for now, Happy Thanksgiving Break! =]**

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"KC? You have a package!" KC's mother called as KC walked into the house.

"Another one?" KC asked, dropping her backpack next to the door.

"Yeah, there was a box for you in the mailbox today. I put it in your room."

"Okay. Thanks mom!" KC responded, grabbing her backpack and running up to her room. And sure enough, there on her bed was a package wrapped in silver wrapping paper and a satin blue bow. She carefully untied the shiny ribbon and opened the top of the metallic box.

"What on Earth?" KC questioned the contents. Two gray sculptures of birds were gently resting against the tissue paper. KC found another piece of paper underneath the sculptures.

_Only 11 more days my little turtle dove._

_-Riley_

Again KC was forced to question the object. Turtle doves? Why such a specific animal. It didn't take her long that it was December 14th. Whatever was coming was coming soon. She still hadn't made a connection to what these strange gifts meant, and Riley refused to tell her anything. The only thing she could do was wait and hope that future packages would reveal to her what they all meant or what Riley was trying to tell her.

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**You might be noticing a pattern...if not continue reading =]...well even if you do see a pattern keep reading...0-0 fail on my part =P**


	3. What Happens Tomorrow?

Yay! I will now publish a new chapter everyday until well Christmas.... :P lol warning this story is gonna get really cheesy...but I guess all my stories are ;D lol but for now plz enjoy

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A baking aroma wafted up the stairs and into KC's room. KC turned from her computer and inhaled the scent deeply. Dinner smelled a lot better than it usually did when her mom cooked. KC ran into the kitchen; knowing that dinner was a cooking and it sure did smell good.

"Watcha cooking mom?" KC asked as she turned into the kitchen.

"Well, the post master gave a cooler of chicken wings today." Her mother replied, checking over the boiling pots and pans on the stove.

"Really?" KC asked, taking a seat on a stool around the island in the middle of the room, "So who sent them?"

"I don't know, but there was a note addressed to you on it. It's over there on the counter."

"Really." KC replied suspiciously, not questioning her mother this time. She hopped off the stool and paced over to the counter. A small envelope lay there with her name printed neatly in the middle of it. She flipped it over and painstakingly tore at the tiny paper covering the mouth of the envelope. As she tore it open, a folded piece of paper even smaller than the envelope fell out. The print on it was incredibly small yet still legible.

_Dear KC,_

_You're probably confused about all the gifts I'm sending you. Ha ha. You'll get a hint tomorrow, but for now please enjoy the third day._

_-Riley_

KC raked through her brain trying to think of the events for the next day. She came up with: history test (must cram last minute!), cheer practice (yay!), and chorus performance (...maybe?). Whatever it was, KC knew she was just going to have to wait until tomorrow to find out.


	4. Reactions, Posters, and a Voice Recorder

**Didn't end the way I wanted it to but it was starting to get a little long so I guess it's okay :P anyway gotten the pattern yet? =]**

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The bell signaling the end of the day rang loudly through the halls. In a few seconds the empty halls were filled with students and loud rumbles of different conversations. KC fought her way through the bustling teens towards the exit. As she reached, she opened the door and broke away from the solid crowd. If only they knew that there were two exits. She looked around the foggy courtyard, only seeing a few people. She knew better than to turn back into the building so she began to walk the outer perimeter. By time she had reached the parking area, the crowd had dispersed. Over towards the office, she saw Riley and Sam. She hurried over them only to find Jackie hidden next to Sam. Riley chuckled to himself as he watched her reaction.

"Okay, what is it?" KC demanded.

"What is what?" Riley asked, confused.

"The gifts? What's my hint?" KC responded.

"Ohhh. Okay your hint is that poster over there and this." Riley replied, using one hand to point towards a poster on the wall and the other holding tiny package. KC looked at the poster. Winter Concert. _So it was the chorus concert_... KC thought to herself.

"Ehh hem." Riley grunted trying to get her attention. KC turned to look at him and noticed the previously unnoticed package. Riley nodded his head towards it signaling that it was for her. KC took it and opened it. It was one of the teams' voice recorders.

"What the heck is this?" KC asked.

"Just play it." Riley replied cleverly. KC looked at him with a not amused expression on her face but did as he said. She pressed the play button and listened carefully. Through the tiny speaker, the sounds of 4 different bird calls all organized together came out.


	5. Always Into Trouble

**This is one pretty crazy chapter :D**

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Jackie and KC walked into the bustling cafeteria; lunches held in their hands. They walked over to their usual table and sat down.

"Where are Sam and Riley?" KC asked as she set her lunch down.

"I don't know-hopefully they aren't doing something stupid." Jackie replied. They both began to laugh at the fact that they were always getting in trouble; not to mention the fact that when they were investigating Alcatraz both of them agreed Riley would get into trouble the most. While they continued to laugh, KC began to open her lunch bag.

"So...what did you get on that math quiz?" KC asked as she absentmindedly fiddled with a zip-lock baggie.

"A 96. Hey since when do you bring onion rings for lunch?" Jackie responded.

"What?" KC asked as she looked on the table. Five golden onion rings sat in a clear container. KC picked up the note that was taped to the lid and read it. It was fairly shorter than the rest of the notes.

_Five golden rings. Five days closer. Happy fifth day._

"I have no idea why Riley keeps sending these." KC replied setting the note down, "I just wonder how or what gifts he'll give me when we go on break."


	6. My Lips Are Sealed

**We're six days in.**

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"Thanks God we're outta school." KC said joyfully as she walked out of the school's gates with her friends.

"I know! Tests are over and we can live the sweet life for two weeks." Sam said relieved.

"And don't forget investigate." Riley mentioned.  
"Yes-we will definitely be doing a lot of that." Jackie said smiling.

"By the way," Riley began, "KC?"

"Yes?" She asked. Riley grinned and handed her a flat box. She wasted no time opening it. She removed the ribbon quickly and lifted the lid off of the package. She looked at it.

"Geese feathers?"

"We're six days in." Riley replied casually.

"Six days in what? What does this mean?" KC asked. Riley just kept on grinning cleverly as they started their way towards the sidewalk.


	7. Watch Out!

**So Riley was still going to give her gifts; even when they didn't see each other.**

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KC stepped out into the furious gusts of a winter morning. It was cold but it didn't snow which was hard for some of the neighborhood. But KC dealt with it. She took caution on the wet walk in front of her house; it was encased in the rain from the night before. Avoiding a fall, she pulled her mail box open and gathered the mail that was in there. There wasn't much; just a few bills, a magazine, and a-a-a _postcard_? KC hurried into her house, not taking care to avoid the slick of the cement. She twirled a little and found herself on the ground. She picked herself up and continued towards her house. She dropped the mail on the counter but took closer examination of the post card. It was a rather strange one-7 swans swimming in a complicated pattern of some sort. KC left eyebrow lifted in suspiciousness as she rotated the card revealing the address and message. It was from Riley; KC knew it before she read the address. The message said it all.

_Only five days left._

KC lowered the card but still continued to hold it. So Riley was still going to give her gifts; even when they didn't see each other.


	8. Milkman Much?

**Yes it's short. Yes it's late. Yes it's not acceptable. D: sorry for it being a day late...i have a decent excuse (i hope!) I was helping my mom with Christmas cards and I had to get a prom dress yesterday! But I'm good and the today's chapter will be up later :P so plz enjoy! =]**

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5:37 AM. That's what KC's alarm clock read. It was also the time that KC heard the doorbell ring. She rolled out of bed-literally. She shot up from the floor and looked over at her window. The sun was just coming over the horizon. She was then annoyed, but knew that it would be one less thing her mom had to do. She opened her door slightly and slid into the hallway. She paused to rub her eyes and then continued towards the front door. She quietly opened the front door, stepped outside, and then closed it. She looked at a plastic crate filled with 8 old fashioned bottles of milk. She took it inside and set it on the counter. She noticed another note taped to it.

_1 day closer to the surprise._


	9. Ahh, Stupid Tape!

KC stared in confusion at the manila envelope that sat on her desk. It wasn't the usual package that Riley gave her but it was enough to get her excited. She grabbed a pair of scissors from her desk and immediately began to stab at the tape surrounding the mouth of the envelope. She succeeded momentarily and turned the envelope over, letting the contents of it fall onto the floor. She crouched down and examined the papers that fell everywhere. The Nutcracker, Swan Lake,...they were play bills from nine different dances. KC shook her head and set the papers on her desk.


	10. Open Door

The eve of Christmas Eve. One of the busiest days at KC's house. Baking was being done frantically while guests and packages were coming in the door. One of those packages being the now usual daily gift from Riley. KC wasn't as surprised when she got it; she calmly picked it up from its place in the foyer and went to her room. She opened it calmly and a lot less violently than the day before. She cut the last piece of tape and separated the cardboard flaps of the top of the box. She reached in a pulled out a spring; odd. She pulled another spring out. She continued to find springs until the box was empty. The final count was 10 and then the note. She unfolded the paper slowly and read the penmanship.

_Jump for joy. It's the eve of Christmas Eve_


	11. Silver and Navy

KC examined the silver box in her mailbox. It was too valuable, apparently, to be placed on the front porch. She took it out of the mailbox with shaky hands and went into her family room. She sat down on the couch and delicately ripped the paper off of the rectangle. She came upon a dark blue box. Taking caution, she lifted the lid off the box and gasped. She was so surprised by the gift. She took a plastic recorder but it wasn't like normal ones. It had the ability to play 11 notes which wasn't usual. Another note was taped to the bottom of the box. KC read it eagerly.

_A special gift for a special girl._


	12. The Meaning of Christmas

**Merry Christmas all! =]**

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After probably one of the longest waits ever, the day that everyone was anticipating had arrived. Christmas. The morning hours are filled with gasps and 'thanks yous'. The evening is filled with the voices of friends and family and the clink of dishes around the dining room table. KC had already past the first part of Christmas day and was anxious for the feast. She knew everyone and their families were coming over; her family, Zack and his family, Jackie and her family, Sam and his family, and Riley and his family. It was a humongous crowd, but that worried KC's mom, the cook, more than it worried KC. She was more anxious to get Riley's daily gift and she had a feeling that tonight she would find out what they all meant. But for the time being, she had to worry about the festivities of the night and getting them prepared. She ran into the kitchen to help her mom, questioning the gifts one last time.

***

KC had never realized how big her dining room was-or how many people it could fit. And, after all the chaos and the crowd everything was still comfortable and relaxing. Now, the night was beginning to get old and everyone was getting sleepy. The meal had been consumed and the tradition of football after Christmas was on. But no before KC talked to Riley. They were outside, waiting for the crowd to pile out into the backyard. Riley smiled at her and passed her a small box. She opened swiftly, revealing a drum ornament.

"Wow Riley, it's beautiful, but why are you giving me these gifts?" KC asked, cradling the ornament in her hands.

"Well, I gave you a gift to the song 12 Days of Christmas..." he began.

"Why did you do that?" KC asked.

"Play the song in your mind and focus on the person who gave the gifts." Riley responded. KC thought of the melody- On _the first day of Christmas, my true love_- KC paused there and looked at Riley.

"Do you really mean that Riley?" KC asked breathlessly.

"Of course I do." Riley responded and kissed her. KC suddenly realized that the true meaning of Christmas is not the gifts you get, but rather about the people you love; and thanks to Riley, she had another person to share the feeling with.


End file.
